Preps reporter

When Oconee County linebacker Jaleel Laguins went to camp at the University of Florida on Saturday, he didn’t expect to leave Gainesville, Fla., with a scholarship offer in hand.

But that’s exactly what happened the 247Sports 4-star recruit.

“I just went out there and performed to my best and tried to give it my all,” Laguins said. “I could see as the camp progressed, the coaches started liking me more and more. They offered me after camp and I was just excited. It’s been great.”

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound rising junior might not have expected the offers he’s picked up this summer — he was offered by Penn State after camp at Georgia State — but new Oconee County coach Travis Noland wasn’t surprised.

“He’s got the chance to be a special player,” Noland said. “… I knew from working out with him how talented and explosive he was and that’s what they’re looking for is speed. He ran a 4.6 at Georgia State camp and then at Florida State he went 4.59, 4.52, so I knew from then on the offers would come.”

He has also impressed coaches with his vertical leap and broad jump, Noland said.

“He’s a very, very powerful young man,” Noland said. “His vertical jump was like, 37-1/2, and his broad jump was 10-6. Those are the measurable they look into, sort of like the NFL in the combines, and then’s he’s got to develop as a player, but he’s got all the tools it takes to develop into those kinds of SEC-type players.”